Gather your supplies:
Sandstone boulders (optional)
Yellow brickie’s sand
Off-white cement
75–100mm sandstone split flagging pavers
Decorative mulch (try Forest Fines)
Gold-coloured gravel (try Deco-Gold Gravel)
You’ll also need:
Shovel; set-out paint; wheelbarrow; rubber mallet; trowel; sponge; long-handled broom
Tips:
Clean the underside of pavers before laying.
To make them stick more easily, apply a bonding agent to underside before placing on mortar.
When buying large boulders like this, ask the landscape supplier to organise placement on delivery.
Here’s how...
STEP 1
Using a shovel, remove any original plants and grass so soil is bare. Using set-out paint, mark out where garden beds and boulders will go.
STEP 2
Using shovel, level out soil where boulders will go. Crane in boulders to ensure they go in chosen spots. They’ll be heavy enough to stay in place without adhesive.
STEP 3
In a wheelbarrow, mix 4 parts sand to 1 part cement and 1 part water until it’s a dough-like texture.
STEP 4
Mark where stepping stones will go, spacing evenly leading up to front door.
STEP 5
Where marked, spread mortar 100–150mm thick on soil in a square shape the size of the pavers.
STEP 6
Wet underside of pavers and lay on mortar.
STEP 7
Bed paver by tapping with mallet. Using edge of the trowel, haunch all edges of mortar, spreading towards ground at a 45° angle.
STEP 8
Wet sponge and wipe any mortar spills off pavers. Leave to set for about 2 hours.
STEP 9
Plant all plants and water in. Mulch garden beds then spread gravel.
STEP 10
Level gravel with a long-handled broom, sweeping into gaps between pavers.
STEP 11
To allow the mortar bed to strengthen, don’t walk on pavers for 2 days.
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